Game Master S's "Combatant's Concerto: Fugue of the Traitor" [Tier 7-10] (Inactive)

Game Master Chris Marsh

Swizzers adds her experience with forensic investigation to organising the papers.

Culture (Aid): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20

It takes the whole team, but eventually you piece together what you're looking at. The records discuss research which the bunker’s inhabitants were undertaking into creating “automated warriors” and “augmented battle regalia” using ceramic and electromagnetic technology, for use in the war against the Vesk. There’s no indication that these experimental technologies were completed or tested in the field.

The records are of great fascination to Miiyu, as they are pahtra cultural records from what she views as their prehistoric period. You turn around to see her looking over your shoulders. It's almost like you forgot she was there!

Which door?

Assuming that was both single doors to the east, I would go for the smaller double doors to the west. If it was *not* both single doors, I would go for the second single door.

Moving to the other single door to the east, Deep blue peeks inside. This decrepit bunkroom also contains a small kitchen and an archaic computer console. The bunks are long since deteriorated; however, numerous personal items are littered around them, such as drawings of pahtra families and loved ones, well-thumbed paperbacks, fidget toys, and musical instruments.

”Perhaps I misunderstood, but I thought you said this was an Imperium base? What do you know about this place, Miyu?” Skorpahlich asks their guide. He’s not sure he trusts her as much as he did before if she’s been hiding things from them.

While he waits for her answer, he waits also for the professionals to search the room.

Deep Blue scrounges what he can...

Perception: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (8) + 19 = 27.

...then moves on to the smaller double doors to the West.

Deep Blue pokes around and finds something. Two ancient mk 3 serums of healing sit in the pantry, covered in cobwebs and dust but still functional.

Miiyu sweeps some of the dust from the console and says, “This is curious; I think it might control the bunker’s remote systems. Odd to find it here. Maybe our ancestors liked to work from home?”

To the west is a similar story of age. This room contains several crates and racks which display a wide array of military armaments. While most are of pahtra construction, some are Veskarium military-issue firearms, and a few are strange firearms constructed from ceramics. Most of the items are rusty, clogged with mold, and utterly unusable. Vokuvi finds these weapons of interest and muses, “Some of ours, some of theirs, and some… of something else. I’ve never seen ceramic firearms like these. Interesting.”

"Well, all technology is built upon discoveries that happened before them. I am a little curious who the 'third party' was, though..."

After poking around in the room to the west...

Perception: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (1) + 19 = 20.

...Deep Blue moves over to the final set of doors, and opens them.

Deep Blue discovers a microserrated longsword, but that's it for usable gear.

Moving onward the stellifera opens the final door here...

This exceptionally large chamber is a launch bay of some sort. The bay has a 100-foot-high ceiling and is dark outside of your flashlights. Along the length of the west wall are two combat mechs, each 20 feet tall, which stand upright. They are clearly pahtra in design, resembling large, heavily-armored feline soldiers. They are covered in dust and cobwebs, but it’s clear they’re protected by the same ceramic mesh as the guardians you fought earlier.

Miiyu is extremely excited by the sight of them, jumping up and down in joy and declaring how amazing it would be to arrive at a concert piloting one of these. Vokuvi warns her that perhaps driving military-grade armaments around may not be a good idea if she’s "wishing to remain overlooked by the Veskarium."

Kyra would agree with that.

Suddenly, and without warning a klaxon starts blaring. You've triggered some kind of security system! A vast bay door opens in the south end of the chamber, allowing an enormous guardian mech to emerge. Towering over 40 feet, the enormous, automated defense system begins to clunk its way toward the interlopers... you!

Miiyu screams, "you can't fight that" She and her entourage immediately fall back into the bunker.

She's right and you all know it... unless.... There IS room for two in each of the mechs...

Mech fighting is a system unto itself. the first thing to decide is who goes where. there's room for two in each. It takes a full action to pilot a mech with two pilots that give sthe mech two standard actions and two move actions (essentially.) Check the handouts for more details.

You want ME to get in THAT? Kyra exclaims. I don't even have a ground vehicle license yet. There's too many idiot drivers on the station

”Miyu, we will operate the mechs,” Skorpahlich declares as he looks at Kyra with a “yes-you-too” look in his death gray eyes. ”Please go back to that console you found earlier and try to take control of the guardian, or find some way to boost these for us.” His commanding tone of authority makes it pretty clear that in spite of saying please, it’s really a demand and not a request, given that it’s the Starfinders putting their lives on the line for her. Again.

Those dead gray eyes get a faraway look for a moment before he speaks more. ”Officer, perhaps you could take Kyra and pilot that one,” he says with a chin lifting gesture to indicate the nearer pathra-bot as he himself heads towards the other. ”Deep Blue and I will take this one.” And with that he clambers into the copilot seat of and begins familiarizing himself with the strange controls.

With his utter calm and seeming confidence, none would ever guess that he’d never even seen a mech up close much less piloted one in combat.

Officer Swizzers responds well to a commander's tone, and quickly moves to follow Skorpahlich's direction.

Kyra just shrugs and follows Swizzers.

Miiyu nods, but doesn't evince much confidence as she closes the door.

The party rushes into their mechs!

Will get up and running shortly. Impromptu meeting interrupted my prep!

MECH COMBAT

Initiative:
Swizzers and Kyra = Blue Mech: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
Deep Blue and Skorp = White Mech: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14
Hostile Mech: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16

The defense mech immediately levels an EMP canon at the white mech and fires at your weapons:
Jam Weapon: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (7) + 20 = 27 White Mech needs a FORT DC19 or your laser rifle is offline for 1 minute. If you fail the save now you can make new ones at the end of each turn.

It then strafes right while opening fire with its rotary canon:
ATK: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (10) + 20 = 30 for DMG: 5d8 + 9 ⇒ (3, 7, 3, 6, 7) + 9 = 35

MECH COMBAT
Quick links to: Your stat block, Combat handout, AON Rules, Tactical Map
GM's Tracker

Round 1
FORTE MX9:
-----Operator 1: EMP
-----Operator 2: Rotary Canon
White Mech: PP: 2 (3/turn, max 8), SP: 0/27, HP: 83/87 FORT
-----Deep Blue: Go
-----Skorpahlich: Go
Blue Mech: PP: 2 (3/turn, max 8)
-----Swizzers: Go
-----Kyra:: Go

Fort: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25.

Ignoring the EMP cannon, Deep Blue returns fire!

Laser Rifle: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (17) + 17 = 34, for 5d6 + 8 ⇒ (5, 6, 2, 1, 5) + 8 = 27 damage.

If Skorpahlich does not use them for something else, I will also choose to use 2 PP to Replenish our shields.

So it looks like we can only shoot once per round since we only have one ranged weapon. This is my first experience with the Mech system. I’ll use Intimidate this round, but going forward, what is Skorp supposed to do with his action?

Skorpahlich goes through the various menus until he finds the external speaker system. He selects a particularly loud pahtra-lion roar and blasts it at full volume.

Intimidate: 1d20 + 9 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 9 + 3 = 26

He then grabs the joystick and moves the mech away from the other team to create some fighting space.

I can’t see the whole slide on this device, sorry. I only see our two mechs, not the enemy. Could someone move us to a good tactical position, please.

Maybe you should switch to Abysshead with the volume turned up to 11 Kyra suggests over comms to Skorpalich. It's unclear whether or not she is actually serious with that suggestion.

The enemy is located at the bottom right of the map

Merisiel. If you're out there my love. I could sure use your advice and optimism right now

We never had these pre-Gap. Let's see what this does
And she opens fire.
laser rifle: 1d20 + 4 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 4 + 9 = 22 fire: 5d6 + 8 ⇒ (5, 2, 3, 6, 2) + 8 = 26

@Kyra/Skorpahlich: If you are going to attack, I would encourage you to use 1 PP each round to activate 'Accurate Strikes', so that you can use your level as your ranks in piloting when making attacks.

Officer Swizzers is a bit frazzled by the complex array of buttons!

I don't want to move us closer, and I don't see a Computers bonus to scan, so I think I'll just pass my turn this round.

Also my first experience using the mech rules and not just reading them.
I'm going to say that there's enough detritus in the room to use the HURL Action and don't forget about the Scan action. Also good use of canon Kyra, calling on Merisiel! Definitely use Pp!

Deep Blue drills the enemy mech, though not hard enough to punch through its shields. He then quickly diverts power and replenishes the shields. Skorp gives a mighty roar, but it doesn't look like the enemy mech is affected.

Kyra's shot is a miss, but only a meter or so.

The mech continues to strafe, though inching a bit closer.

It continues to focus on the white mech with it's tary canon, but then aims a laser rifle at Blue!

Rotary canon v. White: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (15) + 20 = 35 for DMG: 5d8 + 9 ⇒ (1, 8, 8, 5, 4) + 9 = 35
Laser Rifle v. Blue: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (20) + 20 = 40 for DOUBLE: 4d8 + 9 ⇒ (6, 2, 3, 2) + 9 = 22. The blue mech catches fire! 2d8 Burn

MECH COMBAT
Quick links to: Your stat block, Combat handout, AON Rules
Tactical Map
GM's Tracker

Round 2
Both mechs will regain 3 Pp. White mech regains Sp: 1d8 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12 Sp
FORTE MX9:
-----Operator 1: EMP
-----Operator 2: Rotary Canon
White Mech: PP: 3 (3/turn, max 8), SP: 0/27, HP: 57/87
-----Deep Blue: Go
-----Skorpahlich: Go
Blue Mech: PP: 5 (3/turn, max 8), SP: 0/27, HP: 60/87, 2d8 Burn
-----Swizzers: Go
-----Kyra:: Go

I’m going to let Deep Blue do the main attacks with his Piloting ranks, and not having to use the PP to get that. Without any ranks in Computers and no Computers skill bonus from the mech, Skorp can’t Scan either. I guess Hurl is his best option, but that uses a Full Action.

Skorpahlich briefly considers digging into his music library as Kyra suggests, but opts instead to just grab a hunk of rubble and chuck it at the opponent, boosting it with some extra juice from the power core just to be safe.

Hurl, Accurate strike: 1d20 + 7 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 7 + 9 = 23
medium damage: 5d6 + 8 ⇒ (1, 1, 6, 6, 5) + 8 = 27

Damn it! This thing is strong!

Laser Rifle: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (8) + 17 = 25, for 5d6 + 8 ⇒ (6, 5, 3, 4, 6) + 8 = 32 damage.

Somewhat flustered by the other mech's damage output, Deep Blue's shot is not as accurate as before.

Kyra takes another shot, using 1pp for the Aim action.
laser rifle: 1d20 + 7 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 7 + 9 = 29 fire: 5d6 + 8 ⇒ (6, 5, 4, 1, 5) + 8 = 29

Also open to feedback/ideas on tracking actions here. It's a lot.

Skorp hurls some of the ancient building material, but it's way off. Skorp's naturally aimed shot is as close as can be to still not hit the target!

Kyra lands a solid hit though! She blasts all the way through the shields and damages the mech!

MECH COMBAT
Quick links to: Your stat block, Combat handout, AON Rules
Tactical Map
GM's Tracker

Round 2
Both mechs will regain 3 Pp. White mech regains Sp: 1d8 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9 Sp
FORTE MX9:
-----Operator 1: EMP
-----Operator 2: Rotary Canon
White Mech: PP: 3 (3/turn, max 8), SP: 0/27, HP: 57/87
-----Deep Blue: Miss
-----Skorpahlich: Miss
Blue Mech: PP: 5 (3/turn, max 8), SP: 0/27, HP: 60/87, 2d8 Burn
-----Swizzers: Go
-----Kyra:: Hit

Swizzers-BOT:

Swizzers directs their mech to toss some scrap!

Hurl: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (11) + 17 = 28, for 5d6 + 8 ⇒ (3, 6, 1, 4, 1) + 8 = 23 damage.

Swizzers hurls some construction material at the mech and is smashes into the thing!

The creature continues to strafe towards the NE while unloading both weapons! It charges the Laser up for a devastating hit!

Laser v. White: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (13) + 20 = 33 for DMG: 4d8 + 9 ⇒ (7, 2, 5, 1) + 9 = 24 DMG Threshold: System: 1d20 ⇒ 17 Power Core! lose Pp: 1d4 ⇒ 4 and regain at half speed.

Canon v. Blue: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (1) + 20 = 21 MISS!!!!

MECH COMBAT
Quick links to: Your stat block, Combat handout, AON Rules
Tactical Map
GM's Tracker

Round 3
Both mechs will regain 3 Pp.
FORTE MX9:
-----Operator 1: Laser
-----Operator 2: Rotary Canon
White Mech: PP: 0 (1/turn, max 8), SP: 0/27, HP: 41/87
-----Deep Blue: Go
-----Skorpahlich: Go
Blue Mech: PP: 8 (3/turn, max 8), SP: 8/27, HP: 60/87, 2d8 Burn
-----Swizzers: Go
-----Kyra: Go

As his mech starts to lose power, whilst the opposing one shows no hint of slowing down, Deep Blue's skin changes to an unheathy green colour.

This is far from ideal...

Laser Rifle: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (7) + 17 = 24, for 5d6 + 8 ⇒ (4, 1, 2, 3, 4) + 8 = 22 damage.
Laser Rifle, GM Nova Re-roll: 1d20 + 17 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 17 + 3 = 32, for 5d6 + 8 ⇒ (6, 4, 5, 3, 1) + 8 = 27 damage.

Swizzers-BOT:

Once again, Swizzers directs their mech to toss some scrap!

Hurl: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (17) + 17 = 34, for 5d6 + 8 ⇒ (1, 3, 3, 1, 1) + 8 = 17 damage.

Kyra takes another shot, using 1pp for the Aim action.
laser rifle: 1d20 + 7 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 7 + 9 = 24 fire: 5d6 + 8 ⇒ (4, 6, 2, 4, 3) + 8 = 27

Oh. I got Aim mixed up with Accurate Strike. If I can use both...
1d4 ⇒ 3

” I agree that this situation is not good. I suppose we could go charging in, though that’s not really my normal style.”

Skorpahlich begins to program the movement in the mech’s computer when he stops and looks out the viewport.

”On second thought, it’s much bigger than we are. It will likely demolish us before we can even get within striking distance. Let me try throwing something one more time.”

Hurl, no PP: 1d20 + 5 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 5 + 9 = 26
medium damage: 5d6 + 8 ⇒ (1, 6, 3, 5, 3) + 8 = 26

Perhaps it’s his newfound familiarity with the controls that makes his aim a bit better.

Kyra's shot is on target! Sparks fly from the mech!
System: 1d20 ⇒ 17 Power Core. Pp regain is halved. Mech immediately loses Pp: 1d4 ⇒ 2

The party teams up to lay into the mech. The damage is really starting to take its toll as the hits come faster than it can regenerate its shields.
System: 1d20 ⇒ 3 The canon on its upper limb begins to smoke.

It fires off the same to shots as it closes into melee ranger with the white mech! the blue mech is in trouble as the previous burn continues its work Burn: 2d8 ⇒ (4, 3) = 7 Don't forget your free REF to put this out.

Laser v. White: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (5) + 20 = 25 MISS!
Canon v. blue: 1d20 + 20 - 2 ⇒ (13) + 20 - 2 = 31 for DMG: 4d8 + 9 ⇒ (5, 1, 2, 6) + 9 = 23

It looks like its future attention will be on white though as a pair of massive saw blades begin to spin at the end of two limbs!

MECH COMBAT
Quick links to: Your stat block, Combat handout, AON Rules
Tactical Map
GM's Tracker

Round 4
FORTE MX9:
-----Operator 1: Laser
-----Operator 2: Malfunctioning Rotary Canon
White Mech: PP: 1 (1/turn, max 8), SP: 8/27, HP: 41/87
-----Deep Blue: Go
-----Skorpahlich: Go
Blue Mech: PP: 8 (3/turn, max 8), SP: 8/27, HP: 4587, 2d8 Burn
-----Swizzers: Go
-----Kyra: Go

Feeling slightly more hopeful, despite the appearance of some rather nasty saw-blades, Deep Blue jinks the mech back, and fires off another shot.

Laser Rifle: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (12) + 17 = 29, for 5d6 + 8 ⇒ (3, 3, 5, 4, 4) + 8 = 27 damage.

Deep Blue's aim is good! It blasts through what shields it had recovered to blow a whole in the mech's side!

MECH COMBAT
Quick links to: Your stat block, Combat handout, AON Rules
Tactical Map
GM's Tracker

Round 4

FORTE MX9:
-----Operator 1: Laser
-----Operator 2: Malfunctioning Rotary Canon
White Mech: PP: 1 (1/turn, max 8), SP: 8/27, HP: 41/87
-----Deep Blue: hit
-----Skorpahlich: Go
Blue Mech: PP: 8 (3/turn, max 8), SP: 8/27, HP: 4587, 2d8 Burn
-----Swizzers: Go
-----Kyra: Go

Kyra works on the fire.
ref: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (20) + 11 = 31 (I presume it's the Mech's ref)

then fires using both Aim and Accurate Strike for 2pp
laser rifle: 1d20 + 7 + 9 + 1d4 ⇒ (16) + 7 + 9 + (4) = 36 fire: 5d6 + 8 ⇒ (4, 2, 1, 3, 5) + 8 = 23

Kyra rolls out and the flames die down. Then she fires a perfect shot as she comes up. The mech wobbles and then falls!

The door opens and the others return, "I'VE NEVER SEEN SOMETHING SO AMAZING!" Miiyu shouts!

"Good job, team!" says Officer Swizzers as she awkwardly climbs down from the mech.

the PLF immediately gets into a heated discussion. The opinions of the surviving leaders on what to do about the mechs is divided: while Miiyu is content to have secured the bunker and recovered considerable data from it, Vokuvi is keen to use the weaponry and mechs they’ve discovered. He plans to deploy them defensively, to protect civilian targets from imperial forces should hostilities become open warfare. Miiyu believes the use of weaponry by either side inhibits her goal of political diplomacy with the Veskarium and risks furthering paramilitary violence. Ultimately, the pair decides to seal the mechs inside the launch chamber while the PLF decides if and how they wish to use them.

You've got a pressing matter though. Renvir is genuinely repentant about his actions, and his feelings for Eshga were strong and complicated. He believes he loves her, despite everything, and is deeply haunted by Alfey’s murder at his hands. Miiyu explains that the "Liberators have no justice system of our own, and the Veskarium treats prisoners who are members of the Liberators as terrorists, meaning Renvir would be executed without a trial. I think Renvir should be set free." Vokuvi argues against this course, claiming "Renvir has already betrayed the PLF, and letting him off without punishment for Alfey’s murder is terrible!"

You know that, because Renvir’s crimes were committed outside the Pact Worlds, transferring him to the Stewards or another Pact Worlds organization for trial will result in his extradition back to the Veskarium.

What do you do?

Kyra sighs I argued against turning you over to the Veskarium when they demanded it Miiyu and I'm NOT going to do that with Renvir. If you don't have a justice system I believe you'd better get one. However, I do agree he needs some punishment. Did Alfrey have family he was supporting?

Skorpahlich exits the mech and dusts himself off as the PLF discuss what to do with the armaments and hideout. He has no dog in the fight, but does hope that they find some way to use them against the Imperium that betrayed his mother. Once the discussion turns to Renvir’s fate, he confronts Vukovi for more details.

”You oppose setting the lovesick and deluded puppy free. Fine. But what would you do with him instead? If the Imperium gets their claws on him, they’ll make him talk before they execute him. So exactly what punishment do you propose?”

Obviously, I don't had an iron in this particular fire. If you want my advice, though... Once someone has done something... bad... it becomes easier to do the same thing again. He has already betrayed you once, and not only that, he *murdered* someone. Not in self-defense, but because someone he loved asked him to. What is going to stop him from doing it again?

Ultimately, the choice is yours. Leadership comes with hard situations, that demand difficult solutions.

"Perhaps I can propose an alternative that will satisfy the competing demands of mercy and justice: exile. We could arrange for Renvir to be sent on a long-range exploratory expedition into the Vast. Deprived of his homeworld and friends, he would be forced to think long and hard about his actions. And indeed, the deprivations of comfort posed on such a journey may be worse than a traditional prison. Yet, it offers the possibility of redemption and--someday--a return to the community."

"Exile? How is that not also death? Would you be willing to equip him as a Starfinder?"

Renvir looks down, "I... I'd be willing to do as you say. I'll even report any findings to the Society."

Miiyu looks at you all, "What say you to that heroes?"

Sarenrae also preaches forgiveness as well as redemption. I would be okay with that.

Let me know if there's anything else you'd like to do before wrapping up! I'll report tomorrow! Thank you everyone. I'm glad I got to play the mech rules before SF2 comes out.